Projecting, et al.

I know, I've disappeared for a while; fair warning, I shall disappear again for a bit after this too. I know, what ever shall you do without Kate's mindless contribution to cyber space?!

The past few weeks I have been working on projects. I've also been reading a lot and have become very thankful for libraries. My library card is one of my most important cards in my wallet!

First, I was inspired by a post on a friend's interior design blog for making a pleated knit scarf. (This is an old roommate and she is very talented. Take a stroll through her blog. If ever I have a house that isn't owned by the government...) The fabric I used was thicker than the example so I made my pleats a little bigger. I thought it turned out quite nicely.
I have been using the same bedspread for the past 20 or so years. It's old, it's falling apart, it's traveled across the country with me, it's time for a change. I decided to attempt a quilt for myself. I've done a few for friends in the past, but this was definitely a step up from beginner. I still need to quilt it (which is a new thing altogether since I've always tied quilts) but I'm hoping to have it done before I leave Houston, and my mom's sewing machine.Hot off the sewing machine. There is a smidge of edge to stitch by hand where I pulled the quilt right-side out. Below is the pattern of solid and print colors, with the yellow, also solid and print, bordering. At first I thought it was way to much yellow, but it's grown on me and I'm excited to put it on my bed.
I put a simple tan color on the back and a tan border along the front. I put a yellow border on the back. As I said, it just needs to be quilted.I was able to see some old friends a week ago. I randomly ran into Damion (on left) and coordinated with him to see his brother and sister-in-law, Gary and Sarah, who I grew up with and last saw three children ago. (Theirs, not mine.) Adam and his girlfriend KaCie came too and it was good to chat and catch up.

And now... on to my next adventure. Happy 2012!!

Very Exciting First

I shopped victoriously! That's right, I had my first Ebay experience and it was oh so very thrilling.

At some point between Decatur, TX and Houston as I was making my way home, I lost a hubcap. (It took a lot of gentle persuading to get my car to allow me to take this picture of her; she was very embarrassed by the fact that one of her tires had a wardrobe malfunction.)
Now, thought I, I just need one hubcap, not four. It can't be more than $30, right? Wrong! Try $80! For one hubcap! Eek! I'm a park-less park ranger at the moment and that is not in the budget.

So, with extreme courage, I turned to Ebay. I had watched a friend sell motorcycle parts on Ebay, knew my brother had had successful Ebay experiences, but had never ventured there myself. I went, I saw, I bought. It was thrilling, especially since the total price, including shipping, was less than half what the manufacturer was asking.

Then, I very patiently waited. I was very nervous and excited too. When the box arrived on the front porch, I was a little hesitant to open it. What if the size was wrong? What if if didn't match the other hubcaps? What if the box was full of newspaper and I was swindled?
To my great relief, it was perfect. As I said, a thrilling experience.

My car is once more whole and she is very happy. The new hubcap is shiny and clean, free of the scratches from a slight run in with a sharp Montana curb while parallel parking. I gave her a good bath, then cleaned and vacuumed the inside until she felt like a new car again. (My one question though, is it proper Ebay etiquette to write a thank you note from the person I received the hubcap from?)

Oh, and she's pretty tickled about her new tattoo, or 'patch' as my dad called it. I'm rather proud of it myself.

Outer Banks Marathon

Four months and 433 miles later, not to mention cross training, I headed about as far east as you can go and still be on land in the US. I left Nevada, flew from Salt Lake to Norfolk, VA, rented a car (that's a fun story), and drove south to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. This was where I worked last summer and it was fun to be back to see friends and the ocean.

I attended the race expo on Saturday and got my t-shirt and other swag, and a new tattoo for my car. I'll take a picture and post it at some point. I also met up with my friend Shannon who I had worked with this past summer at Great Basin. We checked into our hotel, which was right on the beach and then decided to try out a spaghetti dinner being hosted by a Baptist church on the island. Best decision! It was awesome and the interaction with the other patrons enjoyable.

I got up early Sunday morning and began my pre-race routine and traditions. It was a beautiful day. I parked at the finish and took the shuttle to the start and continued with pre-race routines. At 7:20, the gun went off, and I was off. The first seven miles were through neighborhoods. I really hit my stride and got into my rhythm about mile 6.5/7, which was about the same for my last marathon.

Mile 8 we ran through the Wright Brothers Memorial. Thanks to TriDuo for the pictures. I promise, all you see here, I will be purchasing. The picture below is a little before mile 9, with the monument in the background.
Miles 10 through the very end of 12 were through the Nags Head Woods. It was beautiful, shady, but a little sandy and hilly. I had no problem on the hills. The joys of training in Nevada. I was passing folks like crazy and worried for a bit that my pace was too fast. I got out of the woods, passed the 13.1 mile mark and the current time and I was slightly slower than I wanted to be but felt good.Passing mile 16. Still doing really well, having run the whole thing to this point, and feeling awesome. Fist pump for the camera!

Mile 22 started at the base of a bridge and mile 23 at the crest of the bridge. Everyone and everything talked about the horrors of this bridge. I ran the whole thing, passing people again, just like the hills in the woods. The bridge was really windy too, but again, so grateful for the wind I ran through in Garrison during training.

I never really hit a wall, I could tell my muscles were getting sore, but I was able to run the whole thing and complete goal #1, to finish. This is me crossing the finish line.

I was also able to accomplish goal #2, to run the race in less than 5 hours. Whoop! Six and a half minutes to spare!

I was walking all geriatric for the next two days, very sore, but very happy. After my third marathon, I said never again. Now, I'm looking for number 5! Anyone with me?

23

No, that's not how old I am. It's the number of roommates I have had in the past ten years. I know, it's a lot. It's about the same number of times I've moved in the past ten years as well. I gotta get me a permanent job!

This last summer, after some rearranging, I ended up with roommate #23, Jennie. She is amazing and became a great friend.

This summer, with Jennie, was wonderful. I couldn't have been more lucky. One of the days I was scheduled for the alpine rove and bristlecone talk, Jennie hiked up to be there too.

She makes the most amazing homemade granola! She gave me her recipe and we spent an evening of her teaching and me making. I can't wait to try another batch.

One night this summer, we had SSOSS, or Super Supper of Side Salads.

I'm done and back in Texas for a little bit, and she finishes her season in a couple weeks. Who knows what comes next for either of us. Thankfully, it's a small world in the park service and I'm sure our paths will cross again, if we don't force them too sooner!

Wildlife Camera

I am, once again, as of 4:30 Pacific Daylight Time, Saturday, October 22, 2011...unemployed. Gotta love the seasonal life. It was a crazy last few days trying to get all my projects done. One huge project I was able to get done was a first draft of a workbook for our Senior or Honorary Ranger program. Now, I'm doing everything except pack (not good since I've got to be out of my house tomorrow and find time to clean, not to mention run 20 miles...) and was inspired by another friend's blog.

Almost a month ago, I got to work and one of our law enforcement rangers was waiting for me. They have a few wildlife cameras stationed around the park and had just purchased a new one. I had the first tour of the day and he told me he'd placed the camera somewhere in the cave (it's dark in there!) to test it out.

I was pretty excited. It was a mission, a challenge...find the camera!! About two seconds after I walked into the first room, I found it. The camera continued to take pictures while my group was in the Gothic Palace and the Chief Ranger sent me a few and I am sharing them with you now.

Leading my group into the cave. I leave all the lights off and then turn them on at the right moment for a more dramatic effect. It's pretty awesome and hearing the oohs and aahs never gets old.
Waiting for all of my group to make their way into the room. "Did everyone see the natural entrance to the cave?"

Right after I've turned on the big lights. On my belt I have two extra flashlights and a radio.Pointing out the difference between the cave wall and the cave decorations. "The most important thing in the formation of the space we're standing in and all the decorations is water."

The process of cave decoration. "When that water, calcite, and carbon dioxide reach the open air, it does something that I'm sure each of you have experienced at least once in your life..."

I'll be in Garrison, UT for the next little while, staying with friends. I don't know what my internet access is going to be like and I still won't have cell service so don't worry if I disappear for a bit.

Fall Colors

I realize this post should have come before the snow post, since the colors came before the snow... Truth be told, I was hoping to get up into the aspen groves for more pictures but work and training schedules got in the way. Not quite as spectacular as last fall at Great Smoky Mountains, but still beautiful to see.
My last time up in the alpine was for the last (not just my last, but the last) bristlecone trail rove and talk of the season. It couldn't have been a more beautiful day. Above and below are views from the trail up to the grove.

I went with a co-worker after work one evening to hear the elk bugling again. We went up Strawberry Creek, same as last time, and it was marvelous. There was this little patch of color surrounded by elegant green. I love the north end of the park; and the south end too for that matter...I just love this beautiful place I feel so incredibly privileged to have worked here this season.Looking down the Strawberry drainage. We saw one elk, a bull, a little closer than I was comfortable with, and we heard quite a few as well. It's a pretty awe inspiring sound. And a bit funny too to think something that big, and powerful, and elegant, and wildness encompassing can make such a high pitched noise.

I've only got a few more weeks out here before I head on to my next adventure. I still don't know what it is but I know it's going to be grand.

Too Short

Remember this? This was taken May 29th, the day before Memorial Day. We got a lot of snow that day.
Summer is my favorite season. I like long, hot summers. This is what I woke-up to this morning.

I watched the flurries while I was at the visitor center desk today. I'm not ready for winter. It's bitter cold outside right now, supposed to drop below freezing tonight. That was the shortest summer I've ever had.

With all this wintery mix weather, we did get a spectacular rainbow yesterday afternoon.

How many more months until it's summer again?

Summer Re-cap

Autumn begins in a few days. Wow! This summer has gone by really, really fast for me. Since summer is my favorite season (and we've had dustings of snow already, eek!), I present my summer 2011 recapitulation.

1. I left Texas for Nevada and started work at Great Basin National Park in May.

2. I bought a cute, new outfit.

3. Drove 70 miles, one way, to Ely for grocery shopping. Didn't leave town without stopping at the drug store for a fabulous chocolate malt.

4. I passed an emotional kidney stone in June and, eh-hem, lost a bit of weight. Still feeling the after-effects and trying (rather unsuccessfully) to put the weight back on.

5. I attended my first ger warming. Later in July, attended my first ger sleep-over.

6. Bought new running shoes and began training for the Outer Banks Marathon. I've run 206 miles in training thus far; only 227 to go, and then 26.2 for the race itself.

7. Speaking of miles, my car rolled over 100,000 miles. Way to go Little Car!

8. Visited Adam in mid-July in Provo. Went through Timpanogos Cave for research/comparison purposes. I might be a little biased, but I think Lehman Caves is much cooler.

9. Attended the Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City and saw "The Music Man" and "Noises Off!" I love the theatre! I'm heading to Cedar next week to see "Dial M for Murder".

10. I sugared the hair off my legs (and other body parts). Don't worry, it hurt more than I was expecting.

11. Gave a countless number of cave tours and hiked a lot of miles in the alpine area in the park. Sang "Don't Fence Me In" at every campfire program I gave.

12. Made a flashlight holder for a belt for a co-worker.

13. Won "Overall Best Ranger Spirit" award and worked this summer with a totally awesome group of individuals who are slowing starting to trickle out to winter work destinations and it's hard to say goodbye.

It's been quite the summer. The nights are getting colder and there's the hint of fall in the air here. I don't know what the fall/winter/spring holds, but I'm up for a grand adventure, whatever it may be.

Day of Exploring

Monday, Labor Day, was the first time in a long time I actually didn't work or have school on the holiday. As my mother taught me, you must labor on Labor Day. And I did. Tuesday, the day after, I had some fun.

I have been wanting to get into the southern part of the park to explore, especially Lexington Arch, but my little car couldn't get me out there, you need high clearance. One of the protection rangers, Anthony, has a vehicle that can get out there and we decided to make a morning of it. Plus, since most of the trail is on BLM land, it is the only trail in the park where you can take a dog, so Anthony's dog Molly came with us.
It's kind of a steep trail, and you can't see the arch until you turn a corner and BOOM, there it is. It's the largest limestone arch and pretty spectacular. It's six stories tall!

We stopped at a bench on the trail, rested and got some water, then hiked the remainder of the rather steep trail to the arch itself. We hung around and scrambled over the rocks and took plenty of pictures.

View of the valley (actually looking into Utah here with Pruess Lake at the base of the far foothills) from under the arch.

We took a slight detour up a different road into the park on our way home and it was the most spectacular view. Like I said, I've gotta get south and explore before it gets too cold and starts this snowing nonsense again.

Around dinner time, the chief ranger, Greg, invited my roommate and I to go up Strawberry Creek to look for elk. Strawberry is another place I have yet to explore and the chance to see elk again (not since Montana days) was not to be passed up.

We drove to the trail head, then started hiking. It was really pretty, but rather sheltered. As dusk got closer, we started to hear elk bugling. Now, if you haven't heard this before, it is one of the coolest noises in the world, right up there with the 3pm bell telling you school is done for the day.

There was a little hill with a rock out-cropping and we hiked off the trail and up this a little ways until we were above the treeline. We looked across the drainage and there he was, a massive bull elk. My little camera was not the greatest for capturing his splendor, but here he is. We listened and watched him bugle to the other males and females in the area and marveled. It was a grand experience. We hiked back down the trail in the fast fading light. It was an awesome day. There's just so much more to see and do, I feel like I don't have enough time to do it all!

Family Visit

I was blessed to have my family visit me in the middle of nowhere Nevada last weekend. My parents were in UT for BYU's adult education week and tacked on a few extra days to come see me. It was a wonderful, but much too short, visit.

I was on duty at the visitor center desk when they arrived. It had been slow all morning, and as soon as they got there, the masses descended upon me. I finished my shift a half hour later and we went next door to the cafe for lunch.
The family came on my 3pm cave tour. To prevent the spread of White Nose Syndrome to the western bat populations (horrid fungus decimating bat populations back east), we screen all visitors to make sure they're not spreading the fungus. Since Adam had been in a cave in the past year, he got to put his shoes in a disinfecting solution. Way to protect our bats, Adam!

As one of my friend's commented last summer, we never grow out of playing show and tell to our parents. It was great showing them the beautifully decorated cave.

Saturday night we went to the park's astronomy program. The sky was perfectly clear and we could clearly see the Milky Way. There were two large telescopes set up and we saw all sorts of cool stuff and I could actually make out the different constellations. What a difference being able to see all the stars makes in identifying constellations.

Sunday night I had my campfire program at the Wheeler Peak campground. I had to go up early to rove the campground so my folks drove up separately. The program went well and Mom and Adam were even able to participate in the program.The next morning, it was back up the scenic drive. We hiked to the bristlecone grove, part way to the glacier, then down to Teresa and Stella Lakes. We couldn't have asked for better weather. On the way to the glacier, there was still snow and Adam scrambled down to it and then threw a snowball at us.Family at Teresa Lake.

They left Tuesday morning. As I said, much too short but I'm so glad they were able to make it for a visit. It looks like I'll be out here through October, so anyone else wanting to visit...especially as the fall colors begin to turn....